Beer: Reviews & Ratings

Reviews by Puddleglum:

4.2/5 rDev +10.2%look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

This is a great Summer Brew. I had a couple of these while grilling out and the citrus aroma and taste along with the bitter hoppy flavor and zingy mouthfeel made this the perfect companion for a good steak on an early Summer's eve. Too bad there were only two to be had. If I lived in Saint Louis this would certainly be a summer staple. This is definitely the best beer I have ever had from Saint Louis. (405 characters)

More User Reviews:

Pours a hazy golden-amber with a dull white head. The aroma is of quality, fresh American hops. Subtle notes of pine and fruit. Fruity yeast notes stand out in the taste. It's almost tropical with a very sessionable vibe. Fresh and natural, mellow yet satisfying. This would be the year-around offering I would suggest if you hadn't had any of their beers and even somewhat liked hops. I wouldn't kick it out of bed for eating crayons. (435 characters)

12 oz bottle pours a chill hazed, apricot body with a one finger white head. Average retention and some patchy lacing on the glass. Aroma features some grapefruit and mild pine hoppiness, atop a sturdy caramel malt backbone. Mouthfeel is medium bodied, with appropriate zingy carbonation. Taste has lots of grapefruit, but not as bitter as most APA's. This one has a chewy caramel malt backbone that is quite pleasant. Dry, but not bitter. Malty, but not sweet. The epitomy of balance. Goes down quite easy, earning excellent marks for drinkability. (549 characters)

Thanks to rysberg01 for this rare offering...bottled 7/12/06.
Honey in color with a full two fingers of off-white head...most of which goes nowhere and what does, leaves behind some web-like lacing.
Spiced yeast at first, with a gentle floral hop snap to go along with.
Definitely not your typical Pale Ale, as the yeast profile seems a bit higher than what I am used to...very different and quite good.
Tremendous balance in hop to malt, as this one starts out sweet, but finishes quite bitter with that spice lingering in the aftertaste.
No alcohol detected (5.5% abv - according to their site).
Mouthfeel is above average for the style and carbonation is perfect IMO...goes down easy and would go over real well on tap.
A nice start to my exposure to Schlafly... (772 characters)

Pours a clear golden yellow with a nicely portioned white cap head. Good solid lacing on this one. Smells very grapefuity and grassy. To me this is a borderline IPA. Mild amount of crystal malt up front with a big rush of piney hop in the middle. Ebbs to a nice balanced finish. Moderate mouthfeel and very drinkable. Nice to savor after mowing my yard. Goes down easy.

(Served in an American pint glass)Brewed in Nov. 06A- The creamy tan head is thick and sits on top a lightly hazy yellowish-burnt orange body. There is a strong carbonation of tiny bubbles gliding through the glass. With each sip the lip marks make the head more and more rocky.

S- The smell of fresh floor-malted barley has a slight sweet note and a floral pine hops note in the finish.

T- The taste of slightly sweet pale malt has the depth of floor-malted goodness with notes of toast and wheat in the mix. The finish is a green pungent bite with a light citrus zest note. As the beer warms there is a light fruit punch note to the hops.

M- This beer has a medium-full mouthfeel with a creamy texture while the head last and last.

D- This beer has some nice mild malt flavors that balance the hop flavors but the fruit punch flavors in the hops is a bit off putting when the beer warms. When it is still cold this beer is delicious. (944 characters)

Had this on cask, since I'm eternally searching for a beer that's great served via this method. I'm still searching. Not to say this wasn't good, just not something that I'd pick over the rest of the offerings on the chalkboard. The golden-orange, slightly cloudy appearance was nice, as was the hoppy-fresh smell. The head certainly held its own, and given the simple, clean slate aromas, there wasn't much else going on there. Taste was also quite good, slight bitterness and a fresh straw and pine follow-through. It was incredibly smooth, however what didn't work for or me was the hoppiness combined with the soft, watery texture of the cask. The combination of the two left me feeling like I just drank hop water. Overall I'd say this is a good beer, but I can't help but wonder why anyone would want it via cask. (819 characters)

I'd take this over Schlafly's any day of the week. It ours oranngish-golden with a short head that sticks around much longer than you'd think. A lot of hops for PA and I like it. Its too bad this one is on its way out, it would have made a nice session brew. (258 characters)

Well....its a true American Style Pale Ale...BORING. Seems to be very bland not real hops...almost along the lines as Bass....but not nearly as tasty....at least I don't think. Easy enough on the palate that it is a session for sure!!!! Good in a pinch, but not when there are other beers available. (299 characters)

The Tap Room in St. Louis knows how to serve a beer. Room tempature glassware, draft beer at appropriate tempature. This color on this one was light amber with no head by the time it was served. The smell is immediate hops and quite enjoyable. The taste is a nice subtle malt, but not as suttle as an english PA. The mouthfeel is is unmemorable, but the hops on the tongue and the back of the throat hits the spot. Peppery and bitter yet not in the IPA range. A beer true to style and more enjoyable fresh on draght than in the bottle. I alternate between this beer and their awesome Oatmeal Stout as my default beer. (617 characters)

Served at Soulard Ale House, St. Louis (as Schlafly Expedition). My server didnt know what style this was, so I guessed, and guessed wrong. I thought its taste tended toward the Belgian side, with dense malt flavor under a milk-foam head. I did catch the American Pale Ale hops, which put on a good spice show against the strong malts. Well done, everyone! Take five! (369 characters)

Hazy, I swirled the yeast in, peachy-copper in hue with a golden highlight. The liquid is attractive and typical of the style. The head was slightly off-white, at the apex the foam was almost two-fingers tall. The bubbles quickly faded to a thinner cap, about a half-finger high. Head retention was solid. There was some subsequent lacing; it was very spotty and not too widespread. It is a pleasant looking beer but nothing to write home about.

The nose is light on hops, I detect some grassy herbal citrus notes but these aromas are far from pungent. A hoppy APA, this is not. The malt is light, I like the soft caramel sweetness but there isnt much development beyond that. There are some apple smells and honey. Mild potency; while not a chatty beer I like what it says it is simplistic but on target. It is inviting in a carefree way.

The palate has more life then the nose. The hops are more upfront, firm bitterness but not out-of-sorts. The palate is fairly balanced, citrus notes, herbal and grassy qualities at the start, in the middle is a suggestion of mixed fruit (like apples and berries) plus some caramel malt. The finish has a bitter-sweet twang. Hops and malt in perfect harmony. I swear there is a kiss of alcohol as well. Overall, this is a tasty beer. It is a very solid APA, a good drinker it reminds me of a slightly hoppier version of Boulevard Pale Ale.

Medium in body, the carbonation is light but scrubbing enough. The mouthfeel fits this beer well, there is some bulk (but not too much) it is very satisfying.

I like this beer. I wish I could buy it in Nebraska. I could session with it. This APA would work well for a BBQ or burgers or anything grilled really. Tasty. One thing I really like about this beer is the long aftertaste and hop burps! I purchased a six-pack in Kansas City, MO. I want more. This was a surprisingly yummy (while simple) Pale Ale. It is worth a try if you want a session beer. (1,989 characters)

Some pale ales are better than others. This one is the latter. Nothing exciting at all about this pale ale. Very little hops, okay carbonation--and this one came from the taps at the brewery itself from six feet from where I was sitting.

This review is via the now limited bottle version of Schlafly Expedition Reserve American Pale Ale. Extensive history, and an evenly extensive beer. A clear golden hue, slighty cloudy, half-inch pure white head that dissolves, yet maintains patchy lacing. Fresh fruit and hops graze the nose, setting up a beauty of a beverage. Nearly perfect as a medium-bodied beverage, oily hops and grapefruit noted off the top, not as overpowering as an IPA, yet well balanced for an APA. Twangy, crisp and sharp, and oh by the way, immensely satisfying. A definitive hop based body, some malt-based notes left residing on the palate. Becomes somewhat creamy, match it to the Lewis Clark story-line that brought about this beverage, and youve got a definite winner. A remarkable beer, as to be expected, the bar gets higher and the Schlafly line stays near the top. Superb! (863 characters)

This is one of my favorite regularly bottled Schlafly beers. Thankfully they worked this one into regular distribution. It pours a nice cloudy light golden color with somewhat sparse but rocky off-white head. The nose is wonderfully hoppy (plenty of cascades here, I believe) and the flavor well balanced with citrus/grapefruit notes. The only thing this beer reminds me of is Anchor's Liberty Ale, although possibly not as complex. A really effervescent mouthfeel with light and clean finish, and one of my regular purchases. (526 characters)